Signs DVD Review
Posted by Ian Challis on 01.08.2003
One of the most highly anticipated DVDs of the year finally arrives...
Signs
Release Date: January 7th, 2003
The Film
The third and final entry into wannabe-auteur M. Night Shyamalan’s "supernatural" trilogy, Signs deals with that oft-neglected area of spookiness, the humble crop circle, whilst weaving together the writer/director’s usual family-based melodrama. Set in Bucks County, PA, the bare-bones plot follows disenchanted former preacher Graham Hess (Mel Gibson), still tortured over the recent death of his wife, as he struggles to raise his two young children (Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin). He seems to be doing a half-decent job of it, helped by his slightly more down-to-earth brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix)-until, that is, massive crop circles begin turning up in his corn fields. When this eerie phenomenon begins repeating itself the world over, Hess finds himself once again questioning his faith in life and love, whilst desperately trying to keep his family clear of danger...
I’ve always viewed Shyamalan’s earlier work with a somewhat sceptical eye; while it’s clear that the man possesses buckets of directorial ability, he lets himself down in the scripting department, delivering sour, one-note stories than barely stretch over a ninety-minute running time. With that in mind, I was pleasantly surprised by the latest offering; whereas both The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable stuck steadfastly to their drab, dark outlook, Signs delivers more than one or two flashes of down-to-earth humour that is almost Spielbergian in it’s quality. Likewise, those much-ballyhooed "final twists" are played down here in favour of a more low-key, well-rounded-if slightly faulty- ending. It’s a conscious effort by Shyamalan himself to dispel that "one-trick pony" label, and it works marvellously-Signs is easily his most confident, layered and accessible film yet, grabbing the viewer’s attention for more than just that final reel. The cornfield scenes, in particular, are fantastically-staged suspense pieces, and for once Hitchcock comparisons are not out-of-place. It also helps that Shyamalan has a Grade-A cast in place to bring his vision to life. Gibson, devoid of his usual mannerisms, gives his best performance for years, and Culkin and Breslin fill out the prerequisite wide-eyed kid roles nicely. But the real revelation here is Phoenix: shouldering the weight of both the tragedy and comedy of the film, he delivers a superb supporting turn that cements his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most versatile character players.
Unfortunately, Shyamalan-The-Director once again finds himself at the mercy of Shyamalan-The-Writer, and, while he’s made some significant improvements to his unique narrative style, there’s still the odd stumble. The family-oriented climax is a welcome change to the swerve-o-rama of The Sixth Sense, but it all feels oddly flat when you look at the level of cinematic quality preceding it. Likewise, for all the hair-raising build-up to finally getting a good look at them-there aliens, the final result ranks right up there alongside the Green Goblin in SFX misfires. And the ham-fisted religious message really does grow wearisome by the time the resolution rolls round. Still, these are minor quibbles when held up against the product as a whole: as an exercise in directorial technique and high-quality acting, Signs is well worth your time-just don’t expect Shakespeare at the conclusion.
Video Quality
Flawless, as you would expect from such a high-profile release.
Audio Quality
Dolby 5.1 rules the roost, as per usual, and for premium viewing it really is essential, bringing every nuance of sound to life with startling clarity.
Special Features
A somewhat-disappointing package, leading me to suspect that a Special Edition is already being pieced together. A six-part documentary charting the evolution of the film is worth a look for all the usual reasons, but quickly becomes "The M. Night And Friends Hour" by the time you hit the Making Signs portion. Likewise, the six deleted scenes hold little value, aside from a decent five-minute chunk sliced from the tense-as-Hell "House Invasion" sequence. Of much greater interest is an intriguing storyboard feature, matching up the movie’s finished audio track with Shyamalan’s initial shot sketches, creating something akin to a comic book with sound effects. The mercifully-brief clip of Shyamalan’s "first-ever feature film", made during his adolescence, is also good for a giggle, and the disc boasts some of the creepiest menus I’ve seen. Sadly, the whole thing just feels like a half-assed effort to shift a few copies before releasing a second version-it’s even lacking in the usual padding of trailers and stills. The absence of a promised chat-track is another nasty surprise, but hey-I guess they gotta save SOMETHING for those Collector’s Box-Sets, right?
Film: 7.5
Video Quality: 9.0
Audio Quality: 9.5
Special Features: 5.5
The 411: Great direction, shame about the ending; Signs is an above average frightener weighed down by a hokey religious subtext and really rather silly "final battle". Disc-wise, this one’s worth a purchase if, like me, you only want a pristine copy; if you’re after the full, unabridged, Signs-Meets-DVD experience, however, you’d do better to hold on for the inevitable re-release. Mildly recommended.
